A beautifully illustrated tale about finding joy and wonder in the world around us, by best-selling author/illustrator Jane Chapman. Frog is tired of his dark, dull pond, so he goes off exploring. His friend Mouse shows him the wonders of the woods where they live. Frog marvels at the beautiful colors and animals he sees. But there’s nothing quite as beautiful in his own pond…is there? This exquisitely illustrated tale by best-selling author/illustrator Jane Chapman explores the idea of finding joy and wonder in the world around us, and in the simple things that are also miraculous.

This gentle, touching story of the death of a dear friend, Bear, introduces children to the complex and often confusing feelings of grief, and the ways that Bear’s friends honor his memory as they learn how to cope with the loss. “Bear died on a Friday, while sunlight speckled the grass and caterpillars nibbled leaves in the forest.” Beaver and Mole, two of Bear’s friends, return some of bear's belongings to his tree house, not quite understanding why their friend is no longer with them. The two cry together, sit quietly together, and feel angry together over the loss of their friend—but they gradually realize that Bear wouldn’t want them to be unhappy, so they decide to finish something that Bear had started.

Friends Mole and Beaver sit together in their tree house, gazing at the stars and reflecting on the happy memories they have of their good friend Bear. Soon, their friends arrive at the tree house and want to come in, too, drawn there by the cozy glow of the lanterns in the tree house. This continues night after night, until there are so many visitors that Mole feels like there is no space for her anymore. Can her friends find a way to give her the space and quiet time she needs, and still spend time together in their tree house?

Barry loves living in the forest. The other animals love to cuddle him because he's so soft. And even though Barry loves hugs, sometimes he just wants to be left alone! He comes up with an idea to put an end to all the cuddles and interviews a variety of "cuddly" replacements. But will his plan work?